Barbara Kruger, Untitled (No), from the Untitled Portfolio, 1985, photo-offset lithograph and serigraph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase.
Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Longer), from the Untitled Portfolio, 1985, photo-offset lithograph and serigraph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase.
Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Heard) from the Untitled Portfolio, 1985, photo-offset lithograph and serigraph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase.
For those of you familiar with artist Barbara Kruger, you may already know the powerful effect of the large scale, bold language and conflicting messages consistent in her works. The past exhibit, Multiplicity at The Smithsonian American Art Museum featured Kruger’s piece Untitled, (We will no longer be seen and not heard) among other contemporary prints. In this work, Kruger took the text “We will no longer be seen and not heard” and composes 9 individual prints which come together as one visually stimulating piece. Kruger creates an unavoidable, overwhelming presence in her works by enlarging images and text as well as addressing broader issues of democracy, gender, power and belief.
If you missed Kruger’s piece in the Multiplicity exhibit, have no fear, for another loud, large and provoking installation of hers will soon be on display at The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Coming to the museum in summer 2012, Barbara Kruger: Belief + Doubt will take over the entire space of the Hirshorn’s lower level lobby. Literally, the entire space. This site-specific installation will cover the walls, floors, escalator sides and bookstore, using text printed white vinyl letters against fields of black and red. So, there’s no escaping the mass messages of this work. The title of the installation, “Belief + Doubt” came from Kruger’s interest of introducing thoughts of doubt to the public. These doubts come in form of big bold open-ended questions like “WHO IS BEYOND THE LAW? WHO IS FREE TO CHOOSE? WHO SPEAKS? WHO IS SILENT?” Kruger is exploring several themes that affect a whole range of viewers, from the individual, the museum, and representatively, the country. Kruger is blatantly suggesting that these questions should not be ignored and from the looks of the new installation, it seems that Kruger has successfully captured our attention.
Want to see more? Check out past exhibits of Kruger’s:
http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/multiplicity
http://whitney.org/WhitneyOnSite/Kruger
http://spruethmagers.net/exhibitions/248@@overview
http://www.moca.org/pc/viewArtWork.php?id=35
http://hammer.ucla.edu/newsblogs/?tag=barbara-kruger
Enjoy!
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~Margaret McClung